Bottled beverage mixer



Nov. 11, 1952 J. o. ASH

BOTTLED BEVERAGE MIXER 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Filed July 18, 1950 Nov, 11,1952 J. o. ASH

BOTTLED BEVERAGE MIXER 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed July 18, 1950 INVENTOR.James fisllaldflJk Patented Nov. 11,1952

STATES PATENT: orrlcs James Qswakl; Ash, Madisonville, Tex assi'gnor toMadison M xers, n Madis nviilel ex Application July 18 1950, Serial No.174,519

5. Qlaiinsi 1,

This invention relates toan apparatus for mixing and testing bottled andcrated beverages.

In bottling works, especially for softdririks, the several ingredientsof the beverage are introduced separately into the bottles; that is, agiven quantity of a heavy syrup and flavoringmaterial isfirst put intothe bottles, and then the charged water is introduced and the sealingcaps applied. It is then necessary to agitate the contents of thebottles to properly mix the contents. As the syrup mixture is muchheavier than the charged water, the mixingmay be accomplished byinverting the bottles for a short time and then rightingthe same. Thisdouble reversing, with a suitable interval of time between the reversalsis sufiicientfor a proper blending of the mixture.

As soon as the bottles are filled and capped they are passed from thefilling and capping machine to the inspection table where an inspectorsees that the bottles are properly filled. The bottles are theninverted, not only to mix the syrup and charged water, but to detectwhether or not they are securely sealed by the caps. Should any of thecaps be defective or defectively applied, this will become apparent whenthe bottles are inverted as the gas in the mixture will force some ofthe same from the inverted bottles. After sufficient. time has elapsedthe bottles are righted; and the defective ones, if any, are rejected.The perfect ones are then usually placed inv the crates ready forcommercial distribution.

The object. of the present invention is to provide a mixing and captesting device whereby the manual work; of the inspector is greatlyfacilitated.

A further and specific o ie t f t e pres nt inv ntion is to prov d acomparati el impl apparatus whereby a nspector, upon fillin a crate withbottl s from. the i sp c ion table. may eadily and quickly in ert th filed: ate and leave. the same in inver ed po ition wh lefillins fi lqqfidill lfifiifl from said able.

A furt er object of. the invention s to srovide a device of the classmentioned which shall be self contained, which needs no installation,and one that may be placed in convenient posi-. tion with relation tothe inspection table.

A u ther object of; th invention is to pr vide a device as stated adated to be hand onera d by he ins ector thereby requiring no ad= ditionalcost f r labor or power.

Qther objects will appear he e r- With the above objects in view, theinvention 2. consists generally in a table provided with a slideway, acradle rotatably mounted adjacent said table on an axis, parallel withthe slideway on the table, and having a pair of axially oppositeslideways adapted to be brought alternately into alignment with thetable slideway upon each half-revolution of the table, and a slideadapted to hold a bottle-filled crate, and movable along said slidewaysfrom the table to the cradle, and from the cradle to the table after acomplete revolution.

The invention further includes means for maintaining the bottles withinthe crate, as the crate-filled bottles are inverted, said meansconsisting of a plate fixed on the cradle outwardly of each of thecradle slideways, and with said slideways forming a pair of cratereceiving chambers.

The cradle and table are mounted upon a suitable frame forming a unitarystructure which may be placed in any convenient or desirable locationwithout necessitating any installation. It is preferably locatedadjacent the usual inspection table in order that the inspector may filla crate on the table with bottles from the inspection table, as will bedescribed hereinafter.

The invention further consists in various details of construction andarrangements of parts all as will be fully described hereinafter andparticularly pointed out in the claims.

The invention will be more readily understood by reference to theaccompanying drawings, iorming a part of this specification and inwhich: Fig. 1 is an elevation of the device as viewed from the cradleside;

. illustrated in Fig- 1.

Fig! 3 is. a detail plan v ew of the table top. the uppermost slide base0: the cradle, and the crate supporting slide, the vertical elements ofhe cradle be ng shown in sectio d. the supporting frame being omi ted toavoid confusicn:

Fi i s a vertical secti on ubsta tial y h line 4-4 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5 is a detail. section on the line 5 f Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings, A indicates generally the frame of the deviceupon which is fixedly supported a table B, and rotatably mounted acradle C.

The frame A is preferably formed of angle.- bars, and comprises threespaced parallel sections I0, H and I2, the elements A of which areupwardly converging. The sections [0, H and I2 are connected bylongitudinal members [3 and M. The members l3 are secured to the lowerends of the frame sections and constitute a footing or base for theapparatus. Transverse struts l5 rigidly space the lower end of theelements A of sections l0 and I2; and suitable diagonal braces l-6 addrigidity to the structure. The struts and braces may be located asdesired, and, per se, form no essential part of the invention.

The table B is mounted above the upper ends of the frame sections H andI2, and comprises a transverse end angle-bar I1 and longitudinal sideangle-bars 18, the lower flanges l8 of which extend inwardly with theouter ends thereof resting on and secured to the inwardly extending baseflange ll of the transverse bar H. The angle-bars l8 constituteslideways as will be fully described hereinafter.

Fixed to the under faces of the flanges l8 of the slideways aretransverse supporting members l9 and 28. Diagonal braces 2l, fixed tothe outer ends of the member l9 and to the frame members l2, and similarbraces 22 extending from the ends of the member to the frame member Ii,rigidly support the table B in position.

At substantially the upper ends of the frame members H], II and I2 is alongitudinally extending shaft 25 and mounted on said shaft, between themembers I!) and H, is a sleeve 26 which carries the cradle C. V

The cradle C comprises generally an open, preferably rectangularframe-work mounted on the sleeve 25, and providing a pair of axiallyopposite compartments C, each adapted to receive and hold a bottlefilled crate. The cradle is transversely rotatable withone side in closeproximity to the inner end of the table B, so that the compartments Cmay be brought alternately into juxtaposition with the table from whichand to which the crates may be readily slid.

Preferably, the cradle is formed with four corner posts 21, preferablyangle-bars, connected at or adjacent their outer ends by transverseangle-bars 28, and adjacent the center by similar transverse bars 29.One flange of each of the bars 29 rests against the sleeve 2%, and shortangle-bars 3D, perpendicular to the bars 29 at the end of the cradleadjacent the frame member Ill, engage. the sleeve 26 upon opposite sidesthereof and are secured at their ends to said transverse bars. See Figs.1, 3. and 4.

Fixed to the inner flanges 0f the corner posts 21, at opposite sides ofthe cradle,,and resting against the edges of the radially outwardlyextending flanges of the bars 29, are pairs of longitudinally extendingangle-bars 35, which, when the cradle is in vertical position, one ofsaid pairs is in alignment with the angle-bars 18 of the table, so thatthe lower, inwardly extending flanges of the bars 35, constitute thebottom of the uppermost compartment C and with the flanges l8, form asubstantially continuous slideway for a crate supporting slide 'D" aswill appear more fully hereinafter. Transverse anglebars 36 are securedto the outer ends of the bars 35 and constitute stops for the slide D. iAt the side of the cradle adjacent the table 3 an additional transversebar 31 is secured under the ends of the slideways to maintain the end ofsaid slideways in position to assure registry with'the table (notshown).

4 table slideway when brought into alignment therewith.

Two slides D are provided, which are adapted to rest respectively on thebottom of the uppermost compartment C as they are brought alternatelyinto alignment with the table. Each slide D comprises a pair oflongitudinally disposed angle-bars 40 and a pair of transverse bars 4|and 42, said bars being spaced to conveniently receive the bottom of acrate E. The bar 4| is preferably at the outer ends of the bars 40, andthe bar 4! is spaced inwardly from the opposite ends thereof providingextension ends 43 for a purpose hereinafter described.

A spring projected latch 45 is provided at each side of the cradle C toengage a stop 46 arranged under the table, thereby stopping the rotationof the cradle as each compartment C is brought into juxtaposition withthe table.

Secured to the outer bars 28 of the cradle C, are plates 38 whichconstitute the outer wall or top of the compartments C. These are spacedfrom the bottoms of the compartments so as to clear the tops of thebottles when a bottle-filled crate is being moved into the compartment.Spacing blocks 39 between the tops 38 and the bars 28 provide meanswhereby the tops may be adjusted according to the height of the bottlesbeing used.

The operation of the device is as follows. The cradle C being invertical position, a slide D is placed upon the table slides l8, and anempty crate E placed therein. The inspector then fills the crate withbottles from the usual inspection It will be noted that at this time theends 43 of the slide bars Mlextend over the slideways 35' of the uppercompartment to maintain the cradle in fixed position to receive thecrate, as the slide is moved into the compartment, when the crate isfilled the slide D and crate E are slid into the cradle, and the cradleis turned by hand until stopped by a latch 45. At this time the bottlesare inverted with their tops resting on the top 38 of the cradlecompartment and the slide D resting on the bottom of the crate asillustrated in full lines in Fig. 4 of the drawings. Another slide D isplaced upon the table and the process repeated. While the succeedingcrate is being filled from the table by the inspector, the ingredientsin the inverted bottles are mixed by gravitational action; and anydefective caps will be detected by the escape of fluid from the bottlewhile inverted. After the succeeding crate is filled with bottles whichhave been inspected as to quantity content, the slide with the crateresting thereon is slid into the cradle, and the cradle again turned toinvert the same and to bring the preceding crate into alignment with thetable. This second turn of the cradle is sufiicient to complete themixing of the contents of the bottle. When the slide with the filledcrate is raised into align ment with the table, the slide is movedoutwardly onto the table and should any defectively capped bottle bedetected, it is removed from the crate and replaced by a perfectlycapped bottle. The crate is then removed from the slide, and the cyclerepeated.

I claim:

1. In a device of the class described, a table having a slideway, acradle rotatably mounted on an axis parallel to said slideway, saidcradle havmg a pair of slideways adapted to be brought alternately intoalignment with said table slideway upon rotation of said cradle, a slidefor holding a bottle filled crate and adapted to be moved on saidslideways from the table to said cradle and from the cradle to saidtable and projections on said slide adapted to extend over the ends ofthe slideways on said cradle when said slide is in fully retractedposition.

2. In a device of the class described, a table including a stationaryslideway, a cradle mounted adjacent one end of said slideway on an axisparallel thereto, said cradle having a pair of chambers each comprisinga bottom slideway ad-' jacent the axis of rotation and a fixed outerplate parallel thereto, said cradle slideways being adapted to bebrought alternately into alignment with said stationary slideway uponrotation of said cradle, a slide for holding a bottle-filled crate andadapted to be moved on said slidewaysfrom the stationary slideway to thecradle slideway and vice versa when said slideways are brought intoalignment said slide having forwardly projecting means for engaging overthe ends of the adjacent slideways of said cradle when said slide isfully retracted.

3. In a device of the class described, a table including a, pair ofparallel angle-bars forming a stationary slideway, a transverse memberat one end of said slideway constituting a stop, a shaft fixedly mountedbelow the level of said stationary slideway, a cradle rotatably mountedon said shaft and having a pair of chambers each comprisin a pair ofslideways adjacent said shaft and a fixed outer plate, the slideways onsaid cradle each comprising a pair of angle-bars adapted to be broughtinto alignment with said angle-bars on said table, and a removable slidefor holding a bottle-filled crate, said slide comprising a pair oflongitudinal angle-bars adapted to rest on said slideway angle-bars andtransverse bars connecting the same, the outermost of said transversebars extending above the bottoms of said longitudinal bars forming astop for said crate, andthe ends of said longitudinal bars adjacent saidcradle adapted to project over the adjacent ends of the slidewayangle-bars of said cradle when said slide is fully retracted intoengagement with the transverse stop on said table.

4. In a device of the class described, a stationary slideway, a cradlemounted adjacent one end of said slideway on an axis parallel thereto,said cradle comprising a, frame including four corner posts, transversebars connecting the outer ends of said posts in pairs, similar barsconnecting said posts adjacent said axis, angle-bars supported on thelast said bars and forming a pair of slideways, one upon each side ofsaid axis, and adapted to be brought alternately into alignment withsaid stationary slideway upon rotation of said cradle, a slide forholding a bottle-filled crate and adapted to be moved on said slidewayfrom the stationary slideway to a cradle slideway and vice versa whensaid slides are brought into alignment, a pair of plates fixedly securedto said transverse bars at the outer ends of said corner posts forming arest for said bottles when in inverted position, and replaceable spacingblock between said plates and said transverse bar.

5. A device of the class described comprising a portable frame, a, tableon said frame including stationary slideways comprising a pair ofanglebars, a shaft on said frame parallel with said slideway, a cradlerotatably mounted on said shaft and having a pair of slideways eachcomprising a pair of angle-bars adapted to be brought alternately intoalignment with said angle-bars of said table slideways as the cradle isrotated, a slide for holding a bottle-filled crate and adapted to bemoved on said slideway from the table to said cradle and vice versa, andprojections on the crate holding slide adapted to extend over theslideway on the cradle which is in alignment with the table slidewaywhen said slide is on the table slideway.

JAMES OSWALD ASH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,376,273 Hansell Apr. 26, 19211,433,128 Frampton Oct. 24, 1922 1,623,958 Bauer Apr. 12, 1927 1,967,719Morgan July 24, 1934 2,050,560 Chapman Aug. 11, 1936 2,277,310 EngelhartMar. 24, 1942

